1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming device, and specifically, to an open/close cover for exposing the interior of the main body and a manual paper feeding tray attached to the open/close cover.
2. Description of the Related Art
A configuration of attaching the open/close cover, which is rotatable with respect to the main body, to remove the paper that caused jamming (paper jam) in the interior of the main body in the image forming device is conventionally known. A manual paper feeding tray is sometimes attached to the open/close cover in such an image forming device. This type of image forming device is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2008-83442.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2008-83442 discloses an image forming device configured as below. In other words, the image forming device includes an open/close cover and a manual paper feeding tray. The open/close cover is configured so as to open/close at the side surface of an exterior cover with a lower end as a rotation supporting point. The manual paper feeding tray configures one portion of the open/close cover, and is configured so as to independently open/close with the rotation supporting point of the open/close cover as a center. The manual paper feeding tray and a manual paper feeding transportation path where paper fed from the manual paper feeding tray is transported are united as a paper transportation unit, which paper transportation unit is configured so as to be pulled out from the device main body. The manual paper feeding tray has the upper end and the side ends surrounded by the open/close cover while being opened with the open/close cover, where the surface facing the inner edge of the open/close cover at the upper end is formed to be horizontal or to define a falling gradient to the inner surface side.
The possible location of the manual paper feeding tray is limited in the configuration where the center of rotation of the open/close cover and the center of rotation of the manual paper feeding tray are on the same shaft line as in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2008-83442. From the standpoint of enhancing the degree of freedom in the arrangement of the manual paper feeding tray, a configuration in which the manual paper feeding tray is attached to the open/close cover with the center of rotation of the open/close cover and the center of rotation of the manual paper feeding tray being different, and the manual paper feeding tray is supported on the main body side at the usage position, has been considered.
In such a configuration, however, when the open/close cover is rotated with the manual paper feeding tray opened, the manual paper feeding tray separated from the usage position loses the support of the main body side and becomes freely rotatable. In such a freely rotatable state, the distal end side of the manual paper feeding tray rotates downward due to the weight thereof, and the position of the basal end side of the manual paper feeding tray moves upward by a great amount. When closing the open/close cover in such a state, the basal end side of the manual paper feeding tray that moved upward sometimes gets caught at the open/close cover.